art stuff

Damn These Vampires

Right so I genuinely thought Martyn's character was supposed to be like, 15 so I'm sticking with it

I'm so tired—

"Hello? Scott? Scott, you in here?" Martyn calls tentatively, not particularly pleased with his footsteps echoing through the dark cavern. His torch still burns plenty bright, but the air is still too cold. He'd neglected to bring anything warmer. Not that anyone has much–no sheep for fleece-lined jackets yet. Regardless, the only answer he gets is his own voice bouncing off the walls back at him. He doesn't seem to be in here.

When the sound of monsters gurgling and clicking gets closer and more excited, Martyn decides that if Scott is in there, he can fend for himself. It doesn't seem like he was, anyway.

As he sets foot outside the cave, though, he gets a peculiar feeling. Martyn may have very little in the way of survival skills, but he knows what this is.

He's being watched.

It's a cold chill that makes his nape prickly and stiffens his shoulders till they're a bit too straight. "Scott? Scott, is that you?" He tries again. Although, maybe he's being a little paranoid. Maybe he's just been seen by Apo or Sausage, maybe even Renhardt. He sharpens as someone steps out of the gloomy fog, a good several paces away from him.

The figure he sees is decidedly not one of his friends.

It is Scott, but he looks different.

His eyes are red and sharp, the grin across his face anything but humanly mischievous, and he's removed the skull from over his head. That makes it worse somehow. The red tint to everything means it's harder to tell for sure, but the blond is fairly certain that he sees blood staining Scott's lips. It certainly isn't ink. Neither of them speak, and the silence makes the seconds drag out. Scott doesn't have to say anything; Martyn understands very clearly.

Run.

Martyn bolts, picking a direction and going. He needs to get as much distance as he can between himself and the paler man. His HolyWord is out of the question; still recovering from his last use a few hours ago.

Is Scott actually chasing him? Is it worth whatever speed he's gained to check?

"Where do you think you're going, Martyn?" Scott asks, far too close for comfort. That's a yes. Martyn would consider himself to be in good shape and healthy for his age and present situation, but the man was already chillingly close to his left. It was like he was speaking in his ear. "Away from you!" He calls back, trying(and failing) to jump over a particularly gnarled tree root and stumbling instead. He hears Scott snigger behind him as he attempts to regain his stride. "It doesn't seem like you're doing a very good job. Do you even know where you're going?"

No, but he doesn't need to know that.

"Why'd you leave the beach?" Martyn demands. He shouldn't be saying anything–all it does is waste breaths he can't afford to lose. Although, maybe it'll distract him from the fact he can't hear his pursuer. "Maybe I was waiting for you." Something tugs lightly at his cloak, making him yell and put on a burst of speed. Scott laughs again. "Almost caught you, Martyn...run faster!" If he wasn't so sure he'd be making a fatal mistake, the boy would have been tempted to plant his feet and stop moving. He wouldn't want to give Scott the satisfaction of a thrilling chase.

Oh god, that's what this is, isn't it? A hunt.

And Martyn is the prey.

Which makes Scott...

Oh, Avid's going to never shut up about this, assuming Martyn lives long enough to warn the town. Is he going in the right direction? He's lost the path, so he's running blind. And Oakhearst is still pretty far away, even if he wasn't running for his life at the moment. Maybe Scott's chasing him somewhere specific, into a trap, and he doesn't even know.

This was stupid, he was so, so stupid–he never should have gone to do this on his own. Now he's about to die. Father would be so disappointed.

A figure looms out of the heavy, red-tinted darkness, appearing so suddenly that the blond runs into them. Holding steady to stop his momentum, they reach out. Strong arms wrap around him and keep him close despite his attempts to push away. "It's me, it's okay. It's okay." They assure him gently. Martyn looks up in surprise to see that Renhardt was the person he ran into. His gaze has already moved on to something else, though.

Scott.

Martyn turns around, realizing far too late that he has a silver sword. He could have used it. Why didn't he use it?! When he goes to draw it out, Renhardt gently puts a hand over his own to stop him before stepping forward.

"Begone, you dark creature. He is not yours to take, don't'cha know." He growls. Despite the accent, his voice rings clear and from Scott's sour expression and narrow eyes, he considers the brunet to be a real threat. From the way his jaw is clenched tight and eyes also narrowed, Renhardt feels much the same. Didn't he say he had a problem with Scott? Do they know each other? "Why would you want him? He's quite scrawny for...that." The pale-haired man observes, but his voice holds deep anger to it. Martyn puffs up a little at that. "Hey! I'm a growing boy, I–" Renhardt makes another hand motion to quell the objection. The boy subsides, but maintains a scowl. He doesn't know what the Vampire was implying, but surely he'd be strong enough to take it. Whatever it is. He survived in the woods all by himself without any help before finding this place! Scott never takes his eyes off of the unexpected(but thoroughly appreciated) saviour. "That does not change the fact that he is mine to take care of, not yours. I have claimed him and put him under me protection, don't'cha know." Scott seethes quietly, shifting from one foot to the other as he thinks. "As of right this second, because it's convenient to you? What, are you going to tell me that everyone else is under your 'protection' now, too? You can't deny me from so many." He tells him. Renhardt's lips draw back slightly, teeth bared in a light snarl. A warning. "Is this a fight you want to have? It won't end very well if you lose." Scott challenges. Renhardt tips his head at the Vampire. "You don't scare me." He states.

Scott narrows his eyes further. "I can't tell if you're brave or just stupid. But," he adds, letting his posture loosen slightly as he steps back. "I will let him go. This time." The Vampire finally sets his gaze back on Martyn. "If I find him on his own again...I won't be as cooperative."

Then he's gone, swallowed up by the darkness just as he'd appeared.

A/N

Time takes longer here than in the video–it said the HolyWord took 5 minutes to recharge; I equate that to a good few hours. At the very least I reckon it'd be enough time for him to use it three times a day if he used it as soon as it was ready each time.

So you know when you see something and have an "oh sh*t" moment? 

That's what happened when Martyn saw Scott

Ren lore in chapter two

...whenever that happens. We'll see how long my brain manages to function for lol